Easter Agape

As usual, the Easter Vigil in the Way lasted about six hours long.  My favorite song "Shema" is always sung during the Easter Vigil.  After the six hour long vigil, each community has an agape on their own.  The Team Catechists recommends a hotel, restaurant, or a home.  A home is preferable, but it always takes a lot of work to set up.  In addition to setting up the Easter Vigil, the home agape also has to be set up, and the community would go home to prepare the meal.  It's an all-day affair.  Who has the time to sleep?

I was looking forward to the roast turkey and roast lamb that I heard the brothers were going to prepare. In the end, the roast turkey turned out to be roast chicken, and the roast lamb turned out to be roast beef.  I guess no one could find a lamb to slaughter and cook.  Do they even sell lamb in the store?  At any rate, in an agape, table cloths, linen napkins, real silverware, and china dishes were used.  Christ has risen; therefore, it is fitting to use the finest in the agape.  Of course, some people find it more convenient to have the agape in a hotel.  In fact, some communities arranged to have their agape in the hotel; unfortunately, it can be very costly for families despite the hotel discount for children.  A family of five people, for example, can cost more than $100.   

There will be no celebration of the word this week, but the Team Catechists did mention another Great Mission during the Easter announcement.